Automatic grain sampler



1933. A. M. WOODSIDE AUTOMATIC GRAIN SAMPLER Filed Dec. 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l HTTYS- Feb. 28, 1933. 'A. M. WOODSIDE 1,899,126

' AUTOMATIC GRAIN SAMPLER Filed. Dec. 6, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- q [/WZWTOR. El HRTHURMl/OOUSIDE. -f

Feb. 28, 1933. A WOODSlDE 1,899,126

AUTOMATI C GRAIN SAMPLER Filed Dec. 6, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet s izvmzvroa Pa tented Feb; 28,1933 i I mnm onsim, ronnnnrnunionrmo, omens;

i v m num f GItAIN -sa m nnnr 1 Application filed December 6 ,;1929;Seria1110312466, i m (ianada' Augustylk, i929f' 1 1 This invention relates to improvements automatic grain samplers, and the objectof the inventloniis toprovideuan. apparatus.

or which will automatically 'takea rurming sam- 5 ple of grain while it is being unloaded from a car and being transferred'tothe receiving leg in the elevator? and which will provide for the taking of a continuous sample during the entireunloadingof the car; w

A'further object is to provide such a device which will automatically and continuously take a sample from the grain being car ried upon a conveyor belt and which will take the sample from the entireidepth of the layer of grain thereon and intermittently at various points of the width'of the belt so that the collected sample will be a very true aver.-

age sample of the entire' quantityofthegrain unloaded, I 3 a e A further "object'is to provide such 'a device which will "be entirely automatic during the unloading'ioper'ation andg which "will not involve any manual attention whatever; Afurtherobject isto provide sucha device which --will collect the entire sample from a car-s that it maybe" tested after the car is'unloadedi v Aifurther object isto provide a device which" may be employed to take a sample "from the end of the grain conveyor belt or fromanintermediate point thereof as lde Hitherto it has been common "precede for grain in the car; but: by the improved'ap'pw ratus thism'anual sampling is entirely ellm- 'inatedand the device works continuously and v automatically during the entire unloading process so that a fair average sample of the entire contents of thecar' is obtained 'and this sample cannot be taken awayuntil the car is completely unloaded. i

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of partsyall ashereinafter more particularly described,- and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which, I Figure 'lshows a-vertical front elevation,

partly in section and broken intermediately; i

offan apparatus constructedinaccordance w ththe present invention of a form suitable L for taking a sample from the end'of a grain conveyor belt. .a a 1 e w Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation thereof also broken intermediately.- V a V Figure 3 isadiagrammatic side elevation of a slightlymodified form of the apparatus 1 shown as adapted for taking asamplefrom, anpolnt intermediate of the lengthgofthe grain conveyor belt. f v .v a T F igure4 is a front elevation partly'insection of the form of apparatus shown in F ig- -ure3.'/ H H, 165

Figure 5 is afragrnentary view taken-ion the line 55 of Figure 3. I

:Figure16 is a fragmentary section taken-on t e line 6-6 of Figure 3. In the Edrawings like characters of Yreferenceindicate corresponding parts in the differentviews v.

In the form of'apparatus shown inFigures 1 and 2the grainconveyor belt is indicated by the numeral-10 andone of the endrollers for this-belt'is indicatedby the nu-gz meral 11,the roller 11 being supported in the usual manner-upona shaft 12' anda layer'of grain being carried uponthebelt being indicated'by the numeral-"13. i iExtending upwardly above the belt 10 is any suitable framework 14 and mounted therein in spaced relationship above thebelt 10 is-a lower shaft' 15 which extends trans-- verselyof the belt.- 1 Mounted atson ie distance above theilowershaft 15 and parallel thereto is upper shaftl6. Mounted upon the lower shaft 15 are 'a series of spaced apart sprockets 17 which arespaced apart trans}; verselyof the beltlO and carried by the upper shaft 16 are asimilar number ofspaced apart sprockets, 18 which ,are in alignment with the sprockets 17. a H 1; Q Mounted upon each pair of upper and lower sprockets. 18] and 17 respectively is an enjd-- less chain '19 and carried by each'of jthese chains are'a plurality of spaced apart samwple-collecting buckets 20.

'w v Supported ad acent to the upper, sprockets;

the width of the grain layer, thus'providin'g f'orthe collection of a very true sample.

18 is a sample receiving hopper 21 from the bottom of which a pipe 22 extends.

Journalled in the frame 14 is a jack shaft 23 upon which is carried a sprocket 24 and in alignment with this sprocket 24 and upon the shaft is a sprocket 25. Operatively connecting-the sprockets 24 and 25 is a chain 26.

Also carried by the shaft 23 is a sprocket.

27 and carried by the main roller shaft 12 is a sprocket '28 and operatively connecting "the sprockets 27 and 28 is a chain 29. a I

An idler sprocket 30is supported upon a shaft 31 journalledin the frame 14 and acts:

as a'tightener for taking up the slack in the chain 29. 7 '-Carried by theframe 14 are two vertical guards 32 located one at either side of the belt adjacent to the lower shaft 15.

The operation of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is as follows The conveyor roller 11 would'be driven fromany suitable source of power connected to themain shaft 12 so that the belt 10 would be-driven thereby. Belt 10 carries the layer of grain 13 which would be fed onto the other end of the belt. This layer of grain wouldpassed at the end of the belt 10 in thedirection of the arrow as shown in Figure 2, the roller 11 rotating in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2.

' The jack shaft 23 would be driven through themediuni of the chain 29 and sprockets 27 and 28 and from this the lower shaft1 5 would be driven through the medium of thesprocke ts24 and 25 and the chain 26 and' from this shaft 15 the chains 19 will be driven. It will thus be noted that the'chains 19 constitute endless travellingelements above the belt '10 'and -th'e buckets 20 which are carried thereby willconstitute sample collecting elements.

' The disposition of the shaft 15 is such that as the buckets 20 pass around the lower sprockets 17: they. will pass into proximityto the upper surface of the belt 10 and will travel 7 :around thesesprockets in a direction opposed tothatof the direction of travel of the layer of grain 13 and they will dip right through this layer of grain thereby getting right to the bottom of the stream and catching any :seeds or other material which might settle to the bottom of the belt during its travel. The sprockets 17 are spaced apart transversely of the belt so'that during operation samples will be taken from various points across the width of the layer of grain. Apart from thisit will benoted that the buckets are in spaced relationship on'each belt "and in staggered relationship with respect to adjacent belts so that samples are collected intermittently "across After the buckets 20 have collected their samples they will travelupwardly :with the chains 19-and asthey-pass overtheupper to collect. alsample from an intermediate point in the belt.

Inthis form'thegrain conveying belt 33 is driven in the usual manner and is supported upon a roller'34 andaadjacent to the sample collecting point of thebelt thermarginal edges thereof are r supported upon. 'inclined rollers 35 which deflect .these :marginal edges upwardly, as shown in Figure 4.

A layer of grain beingconveyed by the belt is indicated byithe-numeral 3,5aand this grain is'being discharged onto: the belt from a'hopper 36 the bottom opening l of which is controlledibyagate 37 whichga-te maybe operated 'i n any suitable way as by-the'lever 38 and the links 39,'the lever 38 being connected to a shaft 40.

"The sample collecting apparatus in this case is supported upona vertical frame 41.

J oui-nalled tiIil'thiS frame-is 1a lower shaft 42 mounted in spaced relationship above the belt's33 and'carried upon1this shaft are anumber of spaced apart sprockets 43 which are spaced aparttransversely of the belti33.

Also supported in the-frame 41 isan upper shaft 44 ;which is parallel 'toithe Zlower shaft 42 andcarried by this shaft-44 :are a plurality of spaced apart sprockets45 disposed in alignment with the lower sprockets 43 and 3 mounted upon each pair ofupperand lower sprockets 44 and 43 is a chain 46 and carried by each lof'these chains are a plurality of spaced apart sample-collectingbuckets 47.

Journalled within "the frame ;41 is ajack shaft 48upon which is mountedasprocket 49 and carried by the upper shaft 44 is a sprocket 50, :a chain 51 vbeing operatively unounted upon the sprockets 49 and for operatively connecting thejack shaft 428 and upper shaft 44.

Aldrive shaft 551* isualso ijonrnalled in the frame 41 and carries a sprocket 52,- this drive shaftwbeing connected to any suitable source of power and from itwouldbetaken the drive i .forthe apparatus.

:Also:carried by thejac'k shaft 48 is aisprocket 53in alignmentwith the sprocket 52 and tmountedupon the :sprockets '52 and-53is a chain 54. v I

lt willrthu's' be evidentsthat-wvhen the drive :Sl13fl3 '5 l isnrotate-d the jack-shaft-48 will be 'rotatedthereby through thetmedium of the chain 54 an-d 1 sprockets and 53 a :and from this-jack shaft 48 the upper shaft will be 'lecting apparatus areupstanding guards 55.-

Supported adjacent to the upper sprockets is a hopper 56 fromtwhich leads a'pipe 57 adapted to discharge into a sample receiving receptacle 58. a

' In order to provide an adjustment for tightening the-chains 46, provision is made for. vertical adjustment of the lower shaft 42,, the ends of which are journalled in bearing blocks 59, which are-secured. to brackets 60 a ,on the frame 41, the bolts 61 securing these bearing blocks and engaging within slots 62 in the brackets, 60. The guards 55 would also be provided with slots 63. i

adapted to carry a layer-of grain thereon, of

a series of endless travellin elements in um.- form spaced relatlon to eac other across the .width of the conveyor, sample collectin means carried by theelements in staggere 1 0 relationito the collecting means on each adja-] cent element adapted, duringa portion of their travel, to, dip into the grain layer to in- 3 termittently collect a sample of grain at points across and along the layer, means for discharging the collected samplesand means for receiving the dischargedsamples.

h Ini witness whereof I have hereunto set my an a ARTHUR MELVILLE WOODSIDE;

The operation of this apparatus isas fol lows :The grain is'discharged from the hopper 36, which may be the hopper of a grain" i I car, onto the belt 83, and is carried thereby in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3. Si-

multaneously therewith the shaft'o51 is driven so that the chains 46 are also driven and during the travel of these chainsthe buckets47 in passing over the lower sprockets 43' dip into the layerof'grain 35 and travel in a direction opposite to the direction of thelayer of grain and pick up samples from the layer which samples they carry upwardly and in passing over the upper sprockets 45 they discharge these collected samples into the hopper 56 from which the samples are led into the receptacle 58.

The device therefore provides travelling sample collecting means above the belt which are entirely automatic in operation and which during the entire unloading operation con tinue to collect samples of grainfrom the belt and dischargethem to be finally collectedinto the receptacle 58. v

From the foregoing it willbe apparent that the improved apparatus provides a novel means of collecting ,a continuous sample'of grain from a car during the entire unloading operation in an entirely automatic manner without any manual attention whatever and whereby a fair average sample of the entire car is obtained and whereby the objects set forth are attained.

Various modifications may be madein' this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope ofthe claim, andtherefore the exact forms shown are to betaken as illustrative only and not inalimiting sense, and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placedthereonas are disclosed in the prior art or are set forth in the accompanying cla1m.

, What I claim as my inventionis An automatic grain sampler comprising the a I 

